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Why we love it: A photogenic inn that draws design aficionados to Saguaro National Park

Highlights:
- Design-forward suites with fireplaces and private patios
- A scenic location right on Saguaro National Park
- Unique amenities like a chef’s kitchen and yoga room

The Review:
This five-suite inn, set on 40 acres bordering the western side of Saguaro National Park, comes courtesy of Sara and Rich Combs, known for their popular Joshua Tree House rental. Just 30 minutes from Tucson, the whitewashed adobe property draws the desert sunshine indoors, where it dances with rough-hewn beams and terra-cotta-hued textiles. A variety of potted plants help connect the chic, design-forward interiors with the surrounding desert, while a 5,000-square-foot patio blurs the lines between indoors and out. Available to rent through Airbnb, all rooms feature fireplaces and refrigerators, and most have private patios or balconies.

Book a single suite or buy out the whole property for an event, workshop, or reunion, then take advantage of amenities like a pool, rooftop lounge, chef’s kitchen, dining patio, fire pit, yoga room, and projector for movie nights. While Posada intends to add a chef-in-residence program, it doesn’t currently offer food service, so plan to pack groceries and grill outside, cook in one of the kitchens, or head out to a local restaurant like the Ocotillo Café at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, just 10 minutes away.

Why we love it: A stylish stay that brings contemporary luxury to island life

The Highlights:
- A minimal design that highlights the stunning natural scenery
- The longest pool in the Caribbean
- A lavish spa equipped with a hammam

The Review:
When Silversands Grenada opened its doors in 2008, it was a game-changer for the island. A member of Leading Hotels of the World, the oceanfront property offers an unmatched level of luxury, which starts as soon as you’re picked up from the airport in the house Tesla. Once on site, sleek design and clean lines let the ocean be the focus, though superior rooms, the longest pool in the Caribbean, two restaurants, and a rum and cigar bar also deserve attention. There’s even an incredible spa with a hammam, experiential shower, and ice room; a state-of-the-art fitness center; and a heated pool shaded by slatted wood and decorated with Foscarini ceiling lights hanging overhead.

Still, you could be perfectly happy just staying in your room. The 43 suites—some of which are among the largest accommodations on Grenada—all feature outdoor space as well as king-size beds surrounded by remote-controlled curtains for a touch of romance. A white, teak, and neutral-toned palette creates a bright, airy feel, while light-filled bathrooms include a double vanity, soaking tub, and rain shower. For even more luxury, opt for one of the nine villas, each of which comes with three or four bedrooms, plus a private pool.

Fleetwood Mac front man Mick Fleetwood is behind this bar and restaurant, located on a third-floor rooftop in Lahaina. Here, guests sip drinks under beige umbrellas while taking in views of the dreamy blue Pacific. To pair with award-winning cocktails like the Heart of the Jungle (Cynar, Velvet Falernum, coconut rum, and lemon juice), which comes in a tiki artichoke, executive chef Eric Morrissette serves a menu of elevated bar bites, fresh local fish, and meatier dishes like filet mignon with peppercorn reduction. If you’re not a cocktail person, know that the robust drink menu also features beers from Maui Brewing Co. and Kohola Brewing as well as exclusive wines like Krug Brut from Reims, Luberri Gran Reserva rioja, and even a Chateau Musar red blend from Lebanon.

Why we love it: A peaceful mountain hideaway with easy access to outdoor activities like golf, tennis, and hiking

The Highlights:
- A location surrounded by the campus of the University of the South and its history
- Luxurious rooms and common spaces with golf course views
- Popular Sunday brunch

The Review:
Owned and operated by the University of the South, the Sewanee Inn has become an important part of its small mountain town. Regular visitors include alumni and families visiting campus as well as fans of the great outdoors, who take advantage of the on-site Gil Hanse–designed golf course and the myriad hiking and biking opportunities on nearby Monteagle Mountain. Guests can also carry drinks from the cozy Shakerag Hollow lobby lounge out to the expansive open patio to enjoy beautiful sunsets over the edge of the ridge and to heckle their golfer friends as they approach the eighth green.

The entire property is intertwined into the history of the university, with artifacts thoughtfully positioned in nooks and shelves around the common areas and a small museum gallery just off the main lobby. Even the hotel restaurant, Eighteen58, is named for the year the university received its official charter. Guests and locals alike love the elevated comfort food served here, but especially popular is the Sunday brunch in the soaring Founders Hall, which includes a generous buffet, pancake and omelet stations, a Bloody Mary bar, and live entertainment. After brunch, hit the fitness center, borrow one of the inn’s complimentary bicycles, or simply return to your room, where amenities like cotton linens, flat-screen TVs, and Gilchrist & Soames bath products make for a luxurious retreat.

Why we love it: A hipster hotspot that’s as stylish as it is affordable

Highlights:
- A range of room types for all travelers
- Local hangouts like the on-site diner and pool bar
- A prime location in one of Austin’s coolest neighborhoods

The Review:
While locals are committed to keeping Austin weird, there’s nothing strange about the new East Austin Hotel, a soon-to-be hipster haunt where millennial pink accents and midcentury chic mix with details that embody the city’s independent spirit. Here, guests find a variety of accommodations to suit all types of travelers, from cabin rooms with shared bathrooms to poolside suites with private balconies, but all feature Scandi-inspired furnishings and quirky touches like turtle-shaped ottomans, Moroccan pillows, and retro Victrola radios.

Vintage pendants hang over the bar at on-site restaurant Sixth & Waller, a self-described “global diner” that serves international comfort food like family-style latkes, chicken-fried steak, and mango cream pie. Equally stylish is The Upside, a rooftop bar with cocktails inspired by the Caribbean and Central and South America, and Pool Bar, which welcomes both guests and locals with frozen drinks and Instagram-friendly dishes like gochujang queso and jackfruit bánh mi. The hotel also boasts a stylish gift shop with local gifts like handcrafted ceramics and leather goods, but if you’d rather venture out, stop by the concierge desk and grab a curated map that highlights neighborhood hotspots with live music, authentic food, and more.

Why we love it: A lakeside resort made for family getaways

The Highlights:
- Spacious rooms with balconies for taking in lake views
- A full-service, on-site marina for boat rentals
- A Japanese-style spa with an infrared sauna

The Review:
Imagine you had a wealthy friend with a fabulous lakeside property, and you’ll understand what it feels like to stay at the Lodge of Four Seasons. At the waterfront resort, guests mingle around the lobby bar—which boasts circular seating, live piano music, and carefully crafted cocktails—much like they would in a fancy living room. When it’s nice outside, they hang together at the lakeside pool bar, or stroll down to the on-site marina and get out on the water. Here, it’s all about starting traditions with families and friends, whether over dinner at one of two restaurants or a round of golf on the championship course.

An Ozarks-chic vibe extends across the 358 spacious rooms and suites, which all feature flat-screen TVs, custom embroidered linens, and private furnished balconies with views of the lake or Japanese gardens. Choose from guest rooms in the Main Lodge and Seasons Bay buildings, or opt for a one- or two-bedroom condo with a kitchen in the Avila complex. Settle in, then head to Spa Shiki, where you’ll find eucalyptus-infused steam rooms, an infrared Himalayan salt stone sauna, a salt-purified whirlpool, and a relaxation room with a fireplace for relaxing post treatment.

Why we love it: A kitted-out heritage hotel presiding over the capital

Highlights:
- A historic seaside property
- On-site dive shop and kids’ club
- Hot tubs and an infinity pool cantilevered over the ocean

The Review:
Charming elements remain from Fort Young Hotel’s past as a military fortification, like bronze canons and thick stone walls. Set on a cliff south of Roseau, the heritage property also has 72 modern rooms, all with air conditioning and balconies—most with sea views. Some spaces are massive, such as the oceanfront suites, which each contain a kitchenette, dressing room, two bathrooms, a whirlpool tub, and a dining area that can seat eight. On-site restaurant options range from a mellow seaside bar to The Palisades (one of Dominica’s more gourmet experiences), while amenities include a dive shop and kids’ club.

On the wellness front, the hotel offers a 24-7 gym with floor-to-ceiling windows and Caribbean Sea vistas. Outside sprawl two sundecks, along with an infinity pool and jacuzzies—hot and cold—cantilevered over the ocean. The spa renovations will wrap up in 2019, but guests can still enjoy massages in their rooms or on their balconies. The hotel is also just a short stroll from Roseau’s center, ferry port, botanic gardens, and Saturday markets, not to mention the cathedral and the Dominica Museum. Note: cruise ships dock nearby and can obliterate the water views while in port. Also, post-hurricane renovations will be underway through autumn 2019 and may add some noise during business hours.

Building on Montreux’s growing popularity as a tourist destination in the early 1900s, two Swiss hospitality pioneers joined an existing hotel with a newly constructed palace section, creating what was then one of the most cutting-edge hotels around—with such “modern” touches as electricity, heating, and private bathrooms. Officially opened in 1906, Le Montreux Palace went on to host everything from glamorous masquerade balls to the signing of international peace treaties, and everyone from New York tycoons to Indian maharajas.

The history lives on in today’s incarnation, which has been under the Fairmont umbrella since 2007. Following several years—and stages—of renovations, the Palace is as majestic as ever, with the 236 rooms and suites all featuring classic décor and balconies showcasing the lake or Alps. The hotel’s location at the edge of Lake Geneva is echoed in the seafood dishes at on-site restaurant MP’s Bar & Grill, where fresh catches (and fine cuts of meat) pair well with top Swiss wines. Additionally, both La Palmeraie and the seasonal La Terrasse du Petit Palais offer flavorful menus backed by spectacular views. Nightlife is big here, particularly at the Montreux Jazz Café and Funky Claude’s Bar, both of which serve casual cuisine, potent cocktails, and a good time. As a partner to the famous Montreux Jazz Festival, Claude’s also hosts live music six days a week, including jam sessions with festival members. Recuperate at the lakeside spa, which has indoor and outdoor pools, a gym, saunas, and a lengthy menu of face and body therapies.

Located on Goat Island in Narragansett Bay, Gurney’s feels secluded even though it’s just minutes from downtown Newport. Guests enjoy 360-degree water views from the expansive grounds, which include 257 guestrooms as well as three restaurants, a full-service spa, an outdoor saltwater pool, and more event space than any other property in town. Done up in soothing blues and greys, rooms feature king beds with plush pillows, soft sheets, and down blankets; large bathrooms with granite countertops and jet-stream tubs; and oversized desks for working in between lounging on the sun deck. Some premium view rooms boast harbor vistas from private balconies, while suites include spacious living rooms.

In the morning, guests can grab breakfast at Corso, an Italian-style coffee bar in the lobby, before catching the complimentary shuttle to downtown Newport for a day of exploring. Bikes are also available should they prefer to take in the famous mansions on two wheels. Of course, there’s also plenty to do on-site, from hanging at Newport’s only outdoor hotel pool, getting pampered at the Seawater Spa, and breaking a sweat at the 24-hour fitness center to scheduled activities like yoga classes, crafting sessions, wine tastings, and movie nights. Come evening, enjoy cocktails around the firepits at Regent Lounge, followed by an Italian-inspired dinner at Scarpetta. During the summer months, guests can also look forward to poolside dining at The Pineapple Club as well as a kids’ club for children ages 4 to 12.

At this intimate Marylebone hotel, there’s a unique history that goes beyond its setting in a Regency townhouse, or its location overlooking one of London’s earliest cricket grounds. Of more interest to hotel junkies is the fact that, back in 1985, this was the first hotel opened by Tim and Kit Kemp, who went on to found the much-loved Firmdale Hotels group, which now has properties throughout London and New York City. Though the couple sold Dorset Square in 2002, they re-bought it in 2012, and gave it a thorough re-do to bring it back to their signature style standard.

The 38 rooms now feature modern English décor, complete with individually selected furnishings and eye-catching fabrics, as well as Wi-Fi, iPod docking stations, and granite bathrooms with walk-in showers or bathtubs. The top-tier Marylebone Room kicks it up a notch with grey wool walls and a separate sitting room. Some of the rooms run small, but luckily there are comfy public spaces in which to hang out, including a lovely ground floor library with fireplace, honor bar, and views of the square. The Potting Shed restaurant is both a guest and local favorite for its gourmet menu and all-day afternoon tea, as well as its Chef’s Table dinners and weekend Prosecco Brunch. The team here can also put together a custom picnic hamper, stocked with eats, drinks, and a blanket for enjoying in the square or nearby Regent’s Park.

A trailblazer of the boutique hotel scene, Hotel ZaZa has become a Texas-grown mini-chain over the last decade, with two properties in Houston and one in Austin. But this Uptown outpost remains a true original. The Mediterranean-inspired main building houses the bulk of the 168 accommodations, which include well-sized rooms with generous seating areas, plush king beds and, in some, private balconies. The real ZaZa flair, however, is reflected in the higher categories: 19 Concept Suites are done up in styles like “Bohemia,” “West Indies,” “Opium,” and “Shag-a-Delic;” upgrade further to a super-sized Magnificent Seven Suite (in themes like “Leonardo,” “Crouching Tiger,” and “Rock Star”), or one of the 12 one- and two-bedroom Bungalows, which are set in a 1930s-era former home away from the main hotel and feature individual touches like a vintage 1960s VW Bug tailgate, a 1940s TV fitted into a wooden cabinet, and furniture and artwork handpicked from around Texas. Guests of all rooms have access to free champagne and snacks in the lobby, the ZaSpa wellness retreat and gym, the lively Dragonfly restaurant, and the cabana-ringed pool, which turns into a party scene with DJs spinning after 10 p.m. Another ZaZa signature is the “Magic Carpet Ride,” the hotel’s version of a complimentary house car, which ferries you within five miles of the property in a decommissioned highway patrol car or a Cadillac hearse.

When the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia moved out to the Comcast tower, the hotel was transformed into The Logan, a contemporary and city-centric hotel. Guestrooms decorated with unique local artwork have marble bathrooms, Bluetooth connections, and large windows that look out onto Swann Fountain and Logan Square. A variety of suites can suit travelers of various needs, with bunkbed rooms for families, and flexible layouts with Murphy beds for entertainers. The Philadelphia-inspired decor is echoed throughout the hotel, from the lobby chandelier with images of 300 notable residents like Joe Frazier, to the abstract portraits of Grace Kelly outside the elevators. Wrought-iron sculptures lead the way into Urban Farmer steakhouse restaurant, which melds modern industrial and rustic farmhouse design. The Commons lounge serves classic cocktails dating from 1830 to present day, with seating spilling out onto the terrace of the hotel courtyard, as well as inside by the double-sided fireplace for cooler months. In summer, the Assembly Rooftop lounge is the place to enjoy views of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway with a Pennsylvania-brewed beer or house-created shot. The spa has a heated saline pool, a couples’ suite, and a dedicated manicure-and-pedicure area.

Small and intimate, Hotel Casa Oaxaca feels quintessentially Oaxacan: It’s colonial in style, with whitewashed walls contrasting with vivid pops of carnelian red and fuchsia. It’s surrounded by local vegetation. And it’s filled with Oaxacan handicrafts and art. Common areas invite visitors to settle in and relax, like the on-site library, pool, and terrace with beautifully-made cotton hammocks. The hotel’s seven rooms are arranged around the central patio. Visitors consistently say the service is exceptional, with attention to detail and a “go the extra mile” attitude mentioned frequently as one of the main reasons to return. Another is the hotel’s central location, as it offers an easy walk to many of Oaxaca’s top sights.

You might hear Long Street before you see it—this bustling artery is the heart of Cape Town, home to some of the city’s most popular restaurants, bars, and boutiques, all within a few blocks’ radius of the Grand Daddy Hotel. Built in 1895, this landmark building has been transformed into one of the city’s quirkier havens, though it somehow manages to walk the fine line between campy and classy. It’s a spot that’s beloved by tourists and locals alike (don’t be surprised to stumble onto a local fashion shoot in the gilded Daddy Cool bar).

Behind the stately gray exterior lies a whimsical world: snuggle into crisp white sheets in one of the 26 colorful rooms or suites, or settle into a stylishly appointed Airstream in the rooftop trailer park. And speaking of the rooftop: there’s no better place to take in the view of Table Mountain presiding over the city.

The 25-story curved glass tower of the JW Marriott, opened in 2000 during a construction boom, may be the best-located hotel in Peru’s capital. Aside from its location across the street from Parque Salazar and the cliffside shopping and entertainment complex Larcomar (one of Lima’s biggest attractions), the hotel has sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean (at least when the thick, gray sea mist known as la garua isn’t lingering). From the air, the JW Marriott is one of the city’s most recognizable buildings. It was one of the first large structures to be erected here, though many others have since joined it. Beside the hotel is the almost identical 24-story Parque Mar tower, which connects to the hotel at the base and features a small mall and a popular casino.


Despite the onslaught of other international chains in the city in recent years, the JW Marriott maintains a special foothold here and frequently brings in locals for weekend brunches. For travelers coming for just a day before hightailing it out to Cuzco, it serves as a great base for shopping or indulging in some of the city’s best restaurants, all of which can be found within a five-minute walk.